So... Ian pulls up out back quicker than I thought...my cellphone chirps... left pocket vibrates with purpose! And looking back on this moment soooo many years later .... and so many obstacles I've had to face in my life... If "FATE" were a female... She'd be havin' my baby!!.. lol...or she'd be cheating on me....I wish I could whisper in my ear and tell the consciousness in me to wake up and take charge of the situation.But the best I can do is to use this as a huge learning experience!!...
I leave out the back door and shut the gate behind me. A suspicious looking character in shotgun, Ian waves me welcome to the driver side of the vehicle. My backpack and skate are shoved in the trunk without question, concern, or second thought. Instead, I fight to make room in the backseat amungnst a ton of tiny miscellaneous boxes and blankets and tapes and
what my intuition would call a New Laptop and stacks on stacks on stacks on stacks of what I'm guessing to be.... computer programs!!
Ian and I Lock eyes with a confirmation of body language ( you know what to do--) and a mixture of expressons of "Is that who I think it is?-" and " Well, why the hell is He in your car?-" and maybe it was just me... but that moment felt like an eternity.
"Eligh, Verse...TJ....TJ....Verse, Eligh..." nice to meet you guys. and thanks for coming to get me!
So, this was never explained at the time... but I also completely understood the etiquette of "not asking" questions at a time like that! and I am in NO WAY condoning or admitting or implying any illegal activities what so ever!-
All I know is...is that "Verse" was obviously pulling out everything here... Pulling -ALL- Punches... as they say.
I slid my backpack on and guestured for Verse to "load-me -up" as much as I could carry as we silently checked-off what was to be taken upstairs. As Eligh led the way through the parking lot of the Inlet Towers, Verse remained confident and cool... like in his world... everyday he got to meet one of his heroes!?!.. I, was shocked! Speechless!-Star-struck- unable to construct a sentence... let alone let him know that he has been a major influence in my life...and that he gives me the confidence and courage to follow my dreams no matter what... and to BE BOLD with the PEN....or even simply- "dude, diggin' the music you make bro!-keep it up!"-
As I am in the elevator, at the Inlet Towers, a place in which, I have been so many times before ... but it's usually some females trap-telli...never have I been here on such a special occasion. Ian and I managed to make small-talk while Verse hooked-up Eligh's new laptop with a huge stack of programs ready to be written-in.
As respectful as I could be... I offered and at the same time, asked if we could roll a blunt and celebrate 420 basically... and His answer was simple... and it wasn't fake or rehearsed or written...? It was simple, it was honest, it was truthful, it was bold, it was brave, it was Beautiful! When I asked Eligh if I could roll a blunt... he simply said "Oh, I'm good... but you guys are more than welcome to... just kinda keep it over there by the window if you don't mind.!?!..-"
"If you don't mind???" LOL Who declines smoking weed in their hotel room but doesn't mind if you do...LMFAO...
Well, his answer had me interested thats for sure!!
So interested in fact....that I had to know more...I had to ask!..
And as I was smoking a blunt with one of my best friends... on the 12th floor of the Inlet Towers, with some well-known, old school, hip-hop head downloading apps and programs onto a brand new Device owned by none-other than Eligh himself... I was curious so I offered my hypothesis...
"so,I hope you don't mind me asking you... but do you not smoke weed?" I asked... and even now, as I read what I am writing...I find it amusing that I was simply closed-minded to the fact that Artists and/or musicians of any kind, could know what it meant to be clean and sober... and perhaps his response to my question elevated his status or at least in my opinion. With a slight smirk he offered the opinion that "weed" is a gateway drug for him. And with a certain degree of pride...he admitted that many years before he suffered from opiate addiction...which hit very close to home for me and I could relate to him on a personal level...and his fellow members of the infamous underground hip-hop group Living Legends came to him with an ultimate Ultimatum... As long as Eligh chose to use opiates of any kind or on any level-- there would be no place for him in the group... so he did what any smart, sain, person would at a time like that... He detoxed, got clean, and stayed clean. And so those words on occasion raddle through my mind. For Him... it meant more than words...it meant a part of the group or not... it meant a home for him, a career, a path... for him...it meant life. And so personally, he admitted that some people can smoke weed and still function...but for him, with so much on the line.. and still a live performance yet to come...he wasn't about to slip now.... so, we continued to learn more about each other that time while Verse continued to do his thing... we talked about influences and the song writing process... and he walked over to the bed and pulled out a suitcase from underneath. Funny enough he began to explain that when an independent artist goes on tour...he "tours" with the clothes on his back... and he packs his suitcase with fresh Albums and merch to sell! Which I Will never forget because he ended up giving me x5 of his newest albums, signed of course, and I threw him some cash just cause... we tried to keep it as informal as possible. Right around this time.. a fellow Living Legend by the name of "Scarub" rushed through the door praising the blackened salmon Caesar salad from Simon and Seaforts and earnestly recommending it to us for lunch. At this point... I began to feel more comfortable with my surroundings and honestly... I just still couldn't believe where I was ...and who I was with...
-To Be Continued-

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